This invention relates to a practical, economically produced, and reliable toilet seat lid which automatically locks in the closed/down position and is conceived as a safety device to deter toddlers and very young children from falling into or throwing toys and other large objects into toilet basins. The inventor is the purchaser and assignee of the Toilet Seat and Lid Safety Lock invented by Tracey L. Foster and patent applied for on Nov. 4, 1981. This invention is a natural follow-on to that invention and incorporates the same springlatch principle which automatically locks the toilet seat lid when it is lowered to the down or horizontal position. The aforementioned Toilet Seat and Lid Safety Lock is designed to be used as a locking device which is separate from and must be installed on existing toilet seat assemblies; wherein this invention, while having the same objectives, has the automatic spring-latch locking mechanism incorporated into the toilet seat lid and the latch (bolt) interface mechanism incorporated in the anchor bolt and hinge assembly at the time of the manufacture. With such a device being unknown to the inventor, he conceived and developed the Automatic-Locking Toilet Seat Lid.
The automatic locking lid and toilet seat assembly is designed as a reliable and economically produced toilet seat and lid assembly with a built-in automatic safety lock mechanism. Simple installation is required. Another requirement is that it have sufficient strength and durability to withstand the pull of a small child and the unlocking mechanism must provide ease of operation for an older child or adult while having a degree of difficulty sufficient to deter a toddler or small child from activating the release.